Fire that killed 5 members of Jeannette family remains under investigation, police chief says

A fire in Jeannette that killed five people earlier this year is still under investigation, Police Chief Derek Manley said Friday morning.

State police fire marshal Trooper Chet Bell continues to work on his report to identify a cause in the March 20 blaze on Guy Street, Manley said.

“We have released nothing, nor has the Pennsylvania State Police fire marshal,” he said.

There is no timeline for when an official cause of the blaze might be determined. Manley said once the state police fire marshal’s report is complete, it will be sent on to the Westmoreland County District Attorney’s Office for review.

Tyler J. King, 27; Kyson John, 7; Kinzleigh John, 6; Keagan John, 3; and Korbyn John, 1 month, were killed in the overnight fire at their two-story home. Police and a neighbor helped King’s fiancee, Miranda John, and two other children escape the inferno.

The fire was reported at 12:02 a.m. and police were on scene a minute later.

The home was destroyed.

Three people escaped from a neighboring house that caught fire as well. The blaze also damaged sections of fire hose, Jeannette’s ladder truck and other neighboring homes. A Jeannette firefighter suffered a broken elbow in a fall.

In the aftermath, community members rallied around the family, raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for them.